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The warm sunlight descends, leaving a trace of warmth before vanishing, while the gentle breeze carries a fresh scent, disappearing without a trace as well.

Jinseong, likewise, left two behind and disappeared.

One was Chaine, collapsed and fainted, and the other was Lee Jae-soon, groaning in pain, sprawled over countless insect corpses.

Thus, Jinseong vanished, leaving the two behind, and with the break of dawn, they were transported to the hospital thanks to a passerby’s report.

They were meant to stay in the same hospital… but…

[Hey, we’ll be moving them to another hospital, so just understand that.]

“What?”

[No, it’s Chaine… I mean Sun-mi. She’s a celebrity, a celebrity. It’s not like she isn’t famous. So, you just want to keep her in an ordinary room? Huh, isn’t that going to be a hassle? Right? Journalists coming in, fans causing ruckus, isn’t that going to be bothersome?]

“Yes?”

[Oh, it’s not that I don’t trust your hospital. I know it’s a big hospital, but we have a partnership with another one. It’s just safer for us to send her there, and there’s more benefits for us. And well, if she were seriously injured or had a severe illness, it would be one thing, but that’s not the case, right?]

“But…”

[Ah, the test results are fine, right? Then moving to another hospital should be no issue, right? Am I wrong here?]

“But aftereffects might show up later, so she should be hospitalized to be observed in detail…”

[So what I’m saying is, our company insists on sending her to a partnered hospital for peace of mind. Do you understand what I mean? Observing and testing her while being hospitalized would be much safer. I’m not saying we’re gonna discharge her irresponsibly; we’re just moving her to another hospital. Why are you dragging this out? The process shouldn’t be that complicated, honestly…]

Thanks to the boss’s insistence, they were moved to a different hospital.

The boss insisted on caring for the celebrity under his management, stating he was worried, and that they needed to send her to a secured hospital where journalists and fans couldn’t approach… The hospital had no choice but to comply and send Chaine to the hospital the boss demanded.

Well, they had no real choice.

Even if they discharged her, it was inevitable; she had to be admitted to another hospital.

In any case, the fact that she was being hospitalized wouldn’t change, so… The hospital sent Chaine off to the affiliated one with her agency, just as her boss’s orders carried the scent of extravagance.

Thus, Chaine, now at a hospital connected to her agency, ended up in a VIP room.

It might not be the most upscale VIP room—lacking a ‘City View’—but it was still far more luxurious than an average hospital room as it bore the title ‘VIP.’

Inside were two fancy leather sofa beds and a small kitchenette for simple cooking. The area contained not just a kettle but also a dishwasher and sterilizer.

Plus, there was a multifunctional microwave that served as an oven and air fryer, and even an expensive-looking water purifier in the room.

That wasn’t all.

On one side was a large wall-mounted TV, and on the table were a tablet PC and smartphone, likely brought in by the agency.

For someone like Chaine, who had been frequently treated poorly, this level of reception left her wide-eyed in disbelief.

However, there was a reason behind such treatment…

[Ah, Sun-mi, I feel so sorry. Seriously, even reflecting on it now, it’s just ridiculous.]

“…”

[I thought I had been paying attention. After all, Sun-mi had shared good intel, so I was, you know? Even when busy, I really was trying. Just look at how the events were scheduled; you could tell I was trying my best, right? Sun-mi and the other staff should’ve picked up on that too. If they had half a brain and a decent intuition, they’d know.]

“…”

[But while I was showing how much I cared, I was suddenly hit with news I couldn’t believe. Do you know what it was? You know?]

“Yes…”

[The manager, that jerk… he abandoned the celebrity he was supposed to care for and ran off. Even if he had run, at least he should’ve waited in the car for you… But that lunatic drove to the company instead. I can’t even describe how absurd that was! Seriously, abandoning his assigned celebrity and returning to the company like nothing happened, I was stunned… Yeah, I was truly shocked. I seriously suspected it was some secret reality show or hidden camera prank!]

“…”

[But it turns out, it was real? Not a show, but actual circumstances? There’s no way I could’ve believed that! But I called the hospital, confirmed it, and instantly knew, wow, this was actually happening. The manager went and did something insane. The moment I realized that, I felt like I had just been hit in the head with a bat. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that way, not even when struck with a nail-studded bat…]

“…”

[Man, I adjusted the flow, added supplements to the car, was totally trying to show I was in control… and then? I assigned that ambitious manager to her, and what does he do? He runs off, scared for his own life, and comes right back to my face… Oh, damn it.]

“…”

[I can’t even express how angry and embarrassed I felt hearing that. How lowly must they think of me to just leave someone they supposedly cared for? How could anyone want to ruin my reputation like that? The crazy person in front of me is terrifying, but the boss isn’t scared? Tsk.]

“…”

[Whatever, anyway. Sun-mi, just don’t worry about anything and stay there. I’ll cover all the hospital fees, and I’ll personally deal with that jerk who messed up. Don’t worry, I know people, so the media won’t spread any weird articles, don’t stress over that. As for the fans… hmm, right. Tsk, just let them know the agency arranged a full health check-up. Whether you post a confirmation shot on the fan cafe or some SNS, that’s up to you. Got it?]

“Yes.”

[Alright, good answer. And you know, you can’t just rely on what the agency provides. You especially shouldn’t. You need to maintain your stance. I like it. Oh, and that lunatic who collapsed next to you turns out to be a journalist? I think his name is Lee Jae-soon. I’ve heard he’s been running wild lately… We’ll handle that completely, so don’t worry. If we can suppress it, we will; if not… I’ll just do some PR to minimize the damage to your image. I’ll make sure you don’t get tangled up with him, so think of it as a vacation and just relax.]

The boss’s treatment toward Chaine stemmed from his need to save face.

He was furious and embarrassed that the manager he assigned let this mess unfold, and he was willing to throw a ridiculous amount of money at Chaine to turn this crummy situation into an opportunity.

He was clearly calculating his image to ensure he took care of those who came into his sight.

But even if it was calculative…

In the end, Chaine was allowed a comfortable life in that VIP room.

There was nothing bad about it for her.

“Haah…”

Moreover, to prevent her from getting bored during her hospitalization, a brand new tablet PC was bought for her…

At this point, her treatment was undeniably satisfactory.

* * *

If there is a Yang (阳), then there must be a Yin (陰), right?

While Chaine lived comfortably, Lee Jae-soon faced hardship.

“Ugh… Ughhh…!”

Unlike Chaine, who fainted from the bizarre scene, he was taken to the hospital with horrific wounds. Immediately, they started blood transfusions, but as they began examining him…

It was as if the blood triggered something because no sooner did it fill his body than he let out screams that threatened to rip his throat apart, going into convulsions. The male nurses and doctors, looking like they were putting in some effort, found it hard to subdue him.

After managing to suppress him somehow, they began their examination, but…

“…What’s wrong with this patient’s body?”

“Wow…”

“The bone condition and the muscles… is this some kind of rare disease? We need to run some tests.”

Jae-soon’s body was in a shocking state.

Initially, the bones had holes drilled through them.

This wasn’t some common osteoporosis; it was as if holes had been deliberately made, akin to being stabbed with a needle.

But there were more than just holes.

Some areas looked as if something had been gouged out, while others showed scratch marks as if they had been scraped with something sharp. Even though they hadn’t visually inspected it and had just taken an X-ray, the condition was glaringly obvious; one could only imagine how severe it would be in a direct visual inspection.

Moreover, the state of his muscles was critical.

“Ugh… The ligaments and tendons are in terrible shape… Some are nearly stretched to their limits, while others are torn and broken… And partial ruptures aren’t even visible. What’s going on?”

“Wow, this is… I can’t even estimate how many surgeries he might need?”

This was beyond serious.

Seeing it made one feel a deep sense of despondency.

“Fix the torn areas, somehow reattach them, and the stretched ones… Ugh. At least it’s fortunate that a new injection came out recently, right?”

“Ah, I’ve heard that one has good effects… But it isn’t covered by insurance, is it?”

“Ah, that’s right.”

On top of that, for Jae-soon, the unfortunate truth was that despite the amazing drug available, it would be hard to use.

That was because it was not a covered medication.

Just the hospital expenses alone would be quite burdensome, and if he were to use the new drug, he might end up having to uproot everything.

“Still, hey, at least he’s alive, right? Money can be earned back.”

“That’s true.”

“Think about how this patient came in. His insides were mangled, his spine twisted, and he was covered in wounds as if he had been attacked by flesh-eating insects… He was practically half dead, right? If not for the rapid regeneration, he surely would’ve died?”

“Right.”

“Though the rapid regeneration costs a bit, considering it’s for his life, it’s cheap. So, thinking positively, the new drug isn’t so bad. It’ll help him return to work quickly.”

He might have already plucked one out, who knows.

“Additionally, looking at his condition, it seems he should get regular internal injuries treatment from energy medicine… Thinking about that, it’s better to get discharged as soon as possible, right? The internal injuries treatment isn’t cheap, even with insurance covering it….”

…Perhaps two times.

 

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